Periyava Times Vol 6 issue 2

PERIYAVA Times “ Shreyo bhUyAt sakala janAnAm ” July 2021 Online Special Edition 2021 Volume 6, Issue #2





4 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 2020 Deivathin Kural THE GLORY OF SHIVA NAMA Deivathin Kural - Chapter 291-292 Dr. B Ramaswamy Where will you guard the most precious gem you possess in your house? In the entrance? In the backyard? Won’t it be preserved in the core of your house with iron safes? Vedas guard such a precious stone in its core. The precious stone, “Shiva”, lies at the core of our Vedas. Among the four Vedas: Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva, Yajur Veda is considered the center portion.

 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 5 Even if we consider just Rig, Yajur and Sama Veda (commonly referred to as Veda Trayee), Yajur Veda remains to be the center. When you consider the two branches of Yajur Veda, Krishna and Shukla Yajur Veda, along with the three other vedas, Krishna Yajur Veda is the center of all the Vedic hymns. Within all the cantos of Krishna Yajur Veda, the fourth canto is the center. Among all the Prashnas of the Canto, Fifth Prashna is the center. Within the fifth Prashna, Sri Rudhra Prashna appears at its center. As the center of this precious center, lies the precious stone, the Divyakshara: SHIVA. We consider this body a physical reality. The Paramatma housed within is considered the ultimate essence of the reality. The same entity called as “Sath Vasthu” in Vedanta has been addressed as “Meiporul” by Thiruvalluvar in Thirukkural. If the Vedas are considered as a physical body, ‘Shiva’ lies as its “Meiporul” or ultimate essence. If the Paramatma, the essence of life, lies in the heart of hearts or Hridaya, the Hridaya also lies in the center of our physical body. It is what Saint Gnanasambandar sings as: The truthful essence of the four vedas is indeed the name of our Lord Nama Shivaya. Lord Shiva in the form of Nama lies in the core of our Vedas just like that precious gem secured in the middle of our house. Srimad Appaya Dikshita explains this in Brahma Tarka Sargam (Sloka 27) “Yajjeeva Ratnam Akilagama laalaneeyam”. Saint Avvayyar’s works show that “Righteousness is one for everyone”. It is a common code of conduct across all sections of people. In one such work she says (For those meditating with “Shivaya Namaha”, Abhaaya (danger) ceases to exist). Therefore, the Shiva Nama exists for everyone. Even the ones condemned by the society for sins committed against a community are allowed to chant this holy Nama. Since in Sri Rudhram, Lord Parameshwara is seen in dog and even among dog eaters, this Nama indeed is common to us all.

6 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 2020 Periya Puranam PERIYA PURANAM Balaji Baghavadhar SRI KARAIKKAL AMMAIYAR GURU POOJA: PANGUNI SWATHI Jagatah Pitharau Vande Parvathi Parameshwarau’ – “Obeisance to the parents of the Universe, Parvathi and Parameshwara” prayed the divine poet Kalidasa in his magnum opus, Raghuvamsha. We are indeed united as children of this divine couple who bless us with what we deserve among all that we desire. Father Lord Parameshwara is referred to as Anadhi (without a beginning) and Anantha (without an end) by our Divine Vedas. Saint Ilango Adigal refers to Him as (The one without birth) Saint Gnana-sampandhar who was bestowed milk by Goddess Parvathi Herself, says there is no want or desires for the children of this holy couple. Among His several elusive divine plays, the destroyer of desires had a small desire in His mind. A desire to be a son of a mother. A desire to call her “Amma”. To satiate this inborn desire of the Lord of all, a little girl was born in Karaikkal, the port town in south India to Dhanadhatta, a well-known merchant of the Nagarathar community in fruition of several years’ penance. In spite of all the wealth and prosperity, Dhanadhatta and his family were known for their humility and steadfastness in serving the Sivan-Adiyars or servants of the Lord. He considered his precious daughter as a fruit of all this service to Him and named her “Punithavathi” or ‘Embodiment of purity’. True to her name, Punithavathi exhibited the loftiest of virtues, nobility, and devotion to the Lord right from her infancy. Even her everyday play in the sand was dedicated to Him with her building beautiful sand temples. The word games she played with her friends were only His names. Sri Sivan SAR mentions that “Shivabhakthi was an inborn nature in Punithavathi”. She soon grew up to be a beautiful woman radiant with her true love and devotion for

 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 7 the Lord. News about her charming nature spread across the cities with many parents of suitors requesting Dhanadhatta for a marriage alliance. Dhanadhatta found the best among the suitors in Paramadhatta, from a very reputed merchant family in Nagapattinam. Dhanadhatta conducted the wedding of Punithavathi to Paramadhatta. The wedding, a talk of the town, had all the grandeur associated with the Nagarathar community but did not compromise an ounce on the Vedic practices and observances necessitated by our scriptures. Sekkizhar describes the bride and groom of this wedding as a beautiful peacock taking the hand of a virile bull throwing subtle light into their personalities. Contrary to the intense devotion and faith Punithavathi Ammayar possessed on the Lord, Paramadhatta believed in compartmentalizing faith from his everyday activities. To him, his work and professional ambitions superseded everything else in life whereas for Punithavathi, the life in itself was a means to serve her Lord and nothing else. After the grand wedding, Paramadhatta agreed to his father-in-law’s request to stay in Karaikkal along with his wife in a palatial mansion gifted to them. Punithavathi and Paramadhattatogetherran a household embellished with righteousness and philanthropy. Paramadhatta, in spite of his different outlook towards life, did not prevent Punithavathi from her services to the Lord and Sivan-Adiyars. One day, Paramadhatta was presented with two exotic mangoes by his customer as a gift. Paramadhatta realized the quality of the mangoes by their aroma and was thrilled to send it home for his wife. Punithavathi happily received the mangoes at home and saved them for their lunch. Right then an old Sivan-Adiyar landed at their doorstep. Since it was very early for lunch and her meal for the day would take at least a couple of hours to be cooked, she was perplexed. “What will I give this guest who looks no less than the Lord with that radiant countenance?” Without thinking twice, she rushed to the kitchen and served him with one of the mangoes from the gift sent to her by her husband. “Since there are two mangoes, I am sure my husband will ask me to have one of them. Let me give my share to this servant of the Lord” she thought, unmindful of the divine play waiting to unfold. The Sivan-Adiyar blessed Punithavathi after the sumptuous meal and continued with his journey. Paramadhatta duly reached home for lunch and requested Punithavathi for the mangoes to be included in the lunch. Punithavathi was relieved to serve the lone mango leftover after serving the guest few hours ago. Paramadhatta was moved by the divine taste of the mango. He had not seen or tasted anything close to this in his life and immediately asked Punithavathi “Can I have the second delicious mango?” Punithavathi was

8 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 2020 As a wife who held the sacred vow of not saying ‘no’ or lying to her husband, she was left with no options. She was in a conundrum. A hus- band, who for her, is an embodiment of divinity is requesting that which was served to a guest, another embodiment of the same divine. “May the creator of this conundrum solve this after all” she thought and absolutely surrendered to Lord Parameshwara. Will the Lord ever for- sake His beloved? Right when she prayed, a mango fell on her hands from above. The fruit of her unflinching devotion to Him. With tears in her eyes, she rushed to serve the mango to Paramadhatta. After relishing the mangos, Paramadhatta enquired “Where did you get the second mango from? It is far more delicious than the ones I received!” The suspicious intent behind this question affected Punithavathi. Never has she uttered a lie in her life and to lie to her husband was unthinkable. She made up her mind to tell the truth after a lot of hesitation. A hesitation out of humility that prevented her from proclaim- ing this special blessing from the Lord. When she explained where that mango originated from, Paramadhatta could hardly believe it. Reassuring himself that his wife knows nothing other than truth, he en- quired “Though I know that you always speak the truth, this divine intervention seems beyond my comprehension. Can you request another divine fruit from the lord?” This request unsettled Pu- nithavathi: “O Lord! Won’t this be akin to testing you? But the request is coming from whom I wor- ship as your incarnate!” Without either an iota of intention to prove His blessing to the world or to disobey her husband’s request, Puntihavathi re- sorted to her only option: Prayer. Lo and Behold! A ripe mango falls on her praying hand shocking the onlooking Paramadhatta. The moment Paramadhatta laid hands on the mango, the fruit disappeared. Startled by this illusion, Paramadhatta trembled with fear and respect for the lass he had the privilege of being called the husband of. “What a sinner I ought to be to take the service of those hands that are meant for the Lord alone”. Moved by the extent of her devotion and her spiritual prowess, he vowed to himself not to chain this liberated soul within the boundaries of marital worldliness. Sri Sivan SAR mentions that this incident sowed the seeds for Paramadhatta to become a Viveki.

 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 9 Using his trade commitments as a reason, Paramadhatta travelled across the seas leaving Punithavathi in Karaikkal. He prayed for permanent separation from Punithavathi as the thought of treating her as a wife anymore seemed sinful to him. Punithavathi continued to serve the servants of the Lord and pray for her husband’s safe return. After completing his trade commitments and earning more wealth, Paramadhatta settled down in Madurai without informing his kith and kin in Karaikkal. He setup his business in Madurai and multiplied his wealth to distract him from the thought of his life with Punithavathi. But her memories were inerasable in his mind as he pined for her. Punithavathi, worried and waiting for his return could not understand the reason for this separation. Everybody who accompanied her husband and returned to Karaikkal did not provide a definite answer about his whereabouts. Meanwhile, Paramadhatta married a woman in Madurai from his community and named the daughter born to them as Punithavathi. As years went by, the parents of Punithavathi and Paramadhatta decided to take her to Madurai and find Paramadhatta. They wanted him to see her and realize his mistake of abandoning her. Without disclosing the details of Paramadhatta’s new life to Punithavathi, the villagers and their parents took her to Madurai. After arranging for Punithavathi’s stay in a Nandavanam, the angry villagers and parents identify Paramadhatta’s house and confront him for his decision. Immediately after hearing the arrival of Punithavathi to his town, Paramadhatta rushed to the Nandavanam with his family. Punithavathi, delighted to see her husband after long time is confused by two other people accompanying him. As the truth of Paramadatta’s new marriage dawns in her and before the confusion ensued, Paramadhatta falls at her feet along with his family. Punithavathi quickly moved away, leaving the onlooking villagers utterly amazed by the turn of events. When enquired, Paramadhatta explains the divinity of the lady whom he once called as wife and urges all to fall at her divine feet. Being blessed with a sound mind and intellect filled with devotion, Punithavathi understood what the Lord had in place for her.She realized the chains being broken for a greater purpose and prayed to Lord Siva to remove her youth and beauty that are of no use to her life to be free of bondages. The Lord who readily agreed to her demands, immediately presented her with a skeletal emaciated form. The Devas showered her with flowers from above and Bhootaga- nas were excited to see someone ready to join them. Im- mediately with the wisdom of a Mahan , she composed the Arpudha Thiru-andhaa dhi and Irattai Mani-maalai andhaadhi and began her ultimate jour- ney to Kailasam, the abode of Parvathy Parameshwara.

10 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 2020 On her way, people scared and disgusted by her form ran away from her mocking her. Unmoved by such disturbances borne out of ignorance , she continued her journey to meet the Supreme Lord. After reaching Thiru-Kailayam, the thought of laying foot on the mountain (verily a form of the Lord) bothered her. Instantaneously she prayed to Her Lord and climbs the giant mountain with her head on the ground. The Divine mother looking at this frail figure climbing her abode on her head, asked Lord Siva – “What is this form that climbs the mountain with her head with such determination? ” . Lord Siva replied “True form of Love, satisfying our yearning of a long time. Here she comes, my mother seeking this form from me”. From lips of the eternal origin of this universe arrived that holy word for His devotee: “Ammaiye! (Mother!)”. She fell at His feet crying “O Lord! My Father”.. The Lord waiting to grant her this whole universe requested her to seek a wish. Without a moment’s thought, She sought the immortal bliss of union with Him, requesting: “Liberate me from birth and even if there is one, bless me one of devotion to you. May I be at your holy feet to witness the Shiva Thandava (The Cosmic dance)”. The Lord blessed her to continue singing His praise and witness the divine dance with Goddess Parvathi where she sung the immortal Mutha Narpadhigam, at Thiru-Aalamkadu (now Thiruvalangadu), a village in South India. O heart, forever hail Him who is Sankara, the One Of matted hair that dangles low, the righteous One who On that matted hair sports a soaring serpent and the One Who on that day saves you from the onslaught of misery. 1 1 Translation of Thiru Irattai Manimaalai by Shaivite scholar Shri.TN.Ramachandran

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12 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 2020 Sri MahaPeriyava Manimandapam NJ, USA In HIS presence - Virtually ... Suriyanarayanan Subramanian AthiRudhra Maha Yagnam and SahasraChandi Homam – A Celestial festival With the benign blessings of Sri MahaPeriyava and Sadguru Sri Sivan SAR, an AthiRudram and SahasraChandi homam was conducted for Sri Sivan SAR aaradhanai by Sri Sivasagaram Trust, Chennai. The event was held at Orikkai, near Kanchipuram in association with Sri MahaPeriyava Manimandapam, NJ, USA. The AthiRudra Maha Yagna was conducted over a span of 11 days, and over 135 Vaideekas from different parts of India took part in it with a single unified objective of praying towards health and prosperity of all Dharmikas. Even during the troubled times caused due to the spread of Covid 19 pandemic, the divine blessings of our Acharyas acted as a shield in protecting everyone involved in the the program went on smoothly. The volunteers took extreme care and caution to follow all the national and state guidelines to maintain the regulations in the bubble. The Vaideekas , in spite of their rigorous schedule of observances, complied with the regulations for the benefit of all. Sri Periyava, His Holiness

 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 13 Sri ShankaraVijayendra Saraswati Swamigal, graced the occasion with His august presence and gave a glorious Anugraha Bhashanam, showering his blessings for this celestial event. His Holiness also performed Kalasha Jala Abhishekam to Sri MahaPeriyava Moolavar at Orikkai Manimandapam and also to Sri MahaPeriyava Paduka that will be consecrated at Sri MahaPeriyava Manimandapam in New Jersey, USA. 127th Sri MahaPeriyava Jayanthi – Samashti Kungumapoo Archanai She who is the divine cause of creation, who sits in the Kama Peeta in Kanchi makes Her divine presence like the Saffron which is a tender pretty climber Divine mother Kamakshi shines with her resplendent presence as a saffron climber in the words of Sri Mooka Kavi. In the same set of Shlokas, He exhorts that she is none other than the Gurumoorthy who adorns the Kamakoti Peetham. In this spirit, Kashmira Pushparchanai (Kungumapoo archanai) was conducted to celebrate the 127th Jayanthi of Sri MahaPeriyava at Sri MahaPeriyava Manimandapam NJ USA. Ganapathi Homam, Avahanthi Homam and Ayushkara Sarvabadhaa Nivruttipradha Pavamana Mantra Japa Homam were conducted as per the instructions of His Holiness Sri Sankara Vijayendra Saraswati Swamigal. Devotees around the world participated virtually in this event by taking part in the Maha Sankalpam. We pray to Sri MahaPeriyava to bless us all with health and prosperity during these testing times . Sri MahaPeriyava Manimandapam – construction update TheconstructionofSriMahaPeriyavaManimandapam is going ahead with great gusto. We are delighted to announce that the construction of the Vishesha mandapam and the priest quarters is completed. For darshan at Sri MahaPeriyava Manimandapam is only by appointment due to on going construction & Covid protocols. Devotees can book an slot in the below link: www.tinyurl.com/nambaperiyavakovil

14 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 2020 Sri MahaPeriyava Wind that are present in the external macrocosm are Manimandapam NJ, USA also present in obvious and subtle forms within our body. It was an eye-opening experience for all of us COOL and especially the Middle schoolers to understand the presence of the five elements within all of us. Center Of Oriental Dr.Monika went on to explain how imbalance in Learning & Living these five elements within our body result in diseases similar to natural disasters caused by imbalances in Ayurveda, the science of wellness, is an in- the nature. Based on these five elements, Dr.Monika digenous wealth blessed to us from above showed physiological systems could be classified and embedded in our everyday life through various into : Vatta, Pitha and Kapha. These concepts reso- Samskaras. Science of today has helped us connect nated with the participants since they remembered dots with this ancient wisdom of our ancestors. Cen- our Diet workshop series where we categorized food ter for Oriental Learning and Living (COOL) as part items in a similar manner. Extending this idea into of its workshop series, began the Ayurveda – Well- the practical domain, Dr.Monika explained the ben- ness lectures in April 2021. The workshop series efit of consuming warm water for our everyday life was inaugurated by Vaidhya Smt. Monika Manohar in balancing the imbalances. According to Ayurveda, from Austin, Texas. The focus of the series will be warm water stimulates hunger, helps digestion, re- on simple practices in our tradition that have strong lieves hiccups, relieves flatulence, and helps in re- Ayurvedic backing for sound health and wellness. ducing cold, cough, fever. Hot/warm water increases She began her series with the fundamental concept the digestive fire resulting in a better breakdown of Pancha Bhootas in Ayurveda. She explained how and assimilation of everything we consume and will the Pancha Bhootas : Fire, Water, Earth, Ether and prevent food from being stored as fat, toxins, or fer- mented gaseousness in the gut. Dr.Monika urged our participants to consume warm water, herbal teas as much as possible to keep the Agni alive in our stom- achs and avoid cold beverages. She also showed some results from clinical research that outlined the benefits of warm water for patients recovering from surgeries and undergoing gastrointestinal ailments. Overall, the session reiterated the value of our age- old traditional and simple practices in our Sanatana Dharma for a well-rounded wellness.

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16 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 2020 Management lessons Abhilash Sridharan Paramacharya “Courage is grace under pressure” – CEO Ernest Hemmingway Lesson18 The pandemic has exacerbated US behavioral- Absorbing pressure and health crisis, with stress, social isolation and unemployment fueling upto $100-140 Billion in stress added spending . The number of employees who rate their mental health as “very poor” is more than three times higher than before the crisis, and mental-health issues are still likely to rise. And a recent survey has indicated that 75 percent of employees in the United States have reported symptoms of burnout. This trend has been particularly pronounced among the millennial workforce, who driven by a surfeit of social media and instant digital access, experience higher levels of stress comparing themselves to their peers and others.

 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 17 Leaders in today’s highly competitive and constantly To make a point about the cessation of the mind, changing workplace are burdened with massive Paramacharya gives the analogy of “Scrubbing a responsibilities of guiding their teams towards best- Copper Pot” (Voice of God” (Chapter 4)). In the in-class professional success. However, a recent words of Paramacharya, “Let us say that a copper survey result has shown that 77% of tech leaders jug was buried in mud for a long time and is now have work related stress because of COVID-19. It caked in mud and grime sticking to it solidly. It is is important that the leaders take good care of the true that the jug is underneath all this dirt. But what welfare of their team members, while still maintaining is the use? We find that we have to scrub it with so their own professional capabilities. And it is even much tamarind, good soil and scrubbing pad. The more critical that leaders take good care of their own verdigris doesn’t go away that easily. We claim that mental health and well being that would enable them we are doing all these things to remove the green to make critical decisions, provide the right direction deposit on it and make it shine again. But in reality, to their teams and coach their teams where needed. all our scrubbing is only to remove the verdigris. After all the deposits are removed, the utensil shines Training the mind to deal with stress is similar to on its own. We didn’t make it shine. We didn’t create training the muscles for strength and flexibility at some new utensil. Nor did we create its purity. We the gymnasium. Experts outline a few different only removed the thick impurity that was covering it. steps to dealing effectively with everyday stress and That’s all” Paramacharya likens the copper utensil to transforming it into ally for productive work . the Athma. An alternate interpretation could be that the copper utensil can be likened to our positive frame (1) Understanding what things uniquely trigger of mind and the mud deposited could be likened to all stress in you and drain energy at work vis-à-vis other the stresses, insecurities and workplace paranoia that things energize you (energy sources). It is critical to plague our mind. A successful leader effectively puts maximize your day with activities that energize you to use a defining crisis situation like the scrubbing versus drain energy from you all the time. pad, to unlock and enable the underlying positive frame of mind to shine brightly! (2) Establishing conditions for focus and deep work, by consciously reducing distractions In this context, it is also worth reiterating a meaningful and blocking time for quality work (e.g., reading, piece of advice that Paramacharya had offered to strategic thinking) in your daily schedule. A case-in- HH Sri Mettur Swamigal, who had worked as an point being the CEO of Google, Sundar Pichai, who executive at Mettur Chemicals in his early years. To blocks time to create “thinking” space for himself continue his close service to Paramacharya, he joined amid a packed schedule. Sri Matham. However, the transition was not easy as he had challenges adjusting with certain colleagues (3) Creating conditions for rest and recovery at Sri Matham and therefore he was not enjoying his by constantly paying attention to sleep, exercise, time. He had even briefly contemplated leaving the diet, personal commitments and other important services of Sri Matham, but decided to continue at the restoration pathways encouragement of Sri Sivan Sar. At his next meeting with Sri Paramacharya, Mettur Swamigal received an In turbulent times such as the last 15 months of important message, “Please treat all of your trials and pandemic, what differentiates successful business tribulations as a test for your soul (‘atma sodhanai’)” . leaders from the also-rans is their ability to both Paramacharya encouraged him to absorb all trials and absorb stress without getting demoralized by it and tribulations, only to strengthen his mental fortitude. In guide their teams to optimizing stress into learning, 1989, Sri Mettur Swamigal was eventually initiated growth and better performance. It is important to into the Sanyasa Ashrama by Sri Paramacharya recognize that stress itself is not bad – in fact, it gives himself. us the physical energy and mental focus we need to respond to important situations

18 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 2020 Our prayers to Sri Paramacharya and Sri Mettur Swamigal to bless us with the resilience to absorb all stresses and challenges only to get mentally stronger and not getting disillusioned by it. Sources: 1. https://www.mckinsey.de/industries/healthcare-systems-and-services/our-insights/covid-19-and- behavioral-health-consequences-for-companies-and-employees# 2. https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/flexjobs-mha-mental-health-workplace-pandemic/ 3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/c384d54a-0116-437f-83e8-ddbca65b6c06 4. https://www.forbes.com/sites/edwardsegal/2021/06/07/77-of-tech-leaders-have-work-related-stress- because-of-covid-new-survey/?sh=334ffbf01c8a 5. https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/mckinsey-accelerate/our-insights/how-to-turn-everyday- stress-into-optimal-stress 6. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/19/why-google-ceo-sundar-pichai-misses-his-commute.html 7. https://mahaperiyavaa.blog/2014/09/21/atma-sodhana/ The author would like to thank Sri Sivaraman, Bharath Ramaswamy and Karthi (from YPM study circle (Chrompet)), for their inputs and discussions on YPM. Placing the above at the lotus feet of Sri Sar!

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20 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 2020 Sri Sivan SAR Ramana Kiran A Sojourn with YPM 'Irattai Masthan’ Adaptations from YPM For the past year and then some, most of us have been able to reset our routines in a way conducive to AnushtAnam and atleast try to contemplate what is beyond our material lives. As much as we enjoy the simple comfort of spending time with those who are dear, the occasional getaway or pilgrimage remains elusive. When the eyes can’t see much apart from the end of the street, why don’t we let the mind’s eye wander where we haven’t been to? Sri Sivan SAR provides just that, rather a plethora of sacred spots to choose from. This is a singular incident from the chapter 'SadAsiva Brahmam'. Page 600-601: (A sequel to the reinstallation of the MAriamman at Punnai-nallur) “ The Gnani (Brahmam) used to appear occasionally in the Thanjavur region during this period. ‘The naked Swami is in town!’ used to be the words that made these two (Muslim youngsters) go in avid search. When they finally laid eyes on the Gnani, they stood in deep obeisance as they would to Allah. Due to the benefit derived from a significant good deed in the previous birth, the Gaze of the Gnani was directed at them. As a result, the two commoners (Paamaran) attained a state similar to that of Ripened Wise Men (Pazhutha Viveki). All wordly desires deserted them due to the Grace of the Gnani i.e barring hunger, thirst, sleep and clothing, they detached themselves from mundane indulgence. They began meditating intensely on the Gnani from a suitable spot. Such was their austerity that people from all religions glorified them, with a few reverential as well. On their mortal passing, two tombs were erected on the sacred spot of their meditation. This resting place in Thanjavur is still known as 'Irattai Masthan'. “

 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 21 Ramana Kiran Philosophy The Columnist's Darshan: During one of the trips to Thanjavur, 'Irattai Masthan’ was the first spot on the bucketlist as there was a deep fascination for the above incident and the fortunate Saints. The columnist soon found out that it was easily accessible, a five minute walk down the road from the old bus depot in Thanjavur. This quaint spot is located on the side of a busy main road, the sonic landscape reaching decibels hardly bearable. It is only a little sanctuary, a 'Dargah' as it is generally called. But soon, after prostration, sitting on the floor and trying to meditate, a deep peace enveloped the columnist for close to 50 minutes. There is no other way to describe the sacred place, other than intense. The tearful columnist conveys his gratitude to the two Saints who have granted Their presence. Forever indebted to Sri Sivan SAR, whose generous words have enabled this cherished Darshan. Such is the work of Providence! SadAsivabrahme-bhyo Namaha.

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 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 25 BhargaviKamakshivalli Periyava and Music

26 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 2020 Guru Bhakthi Dr. Srikant Kamesh Iyer EKnaGtuhruavini The Story of My Guru Sri Salem Ravi Sri Salem Ravi’s ancestry was from Andhra Pradesh and he came from a family that was devoted to the Sri Kanchi Matham for several generations. At a young age, Sri Salem Ravi become very attached to Sri “Pradosham” Venkataram Iyer; the foremost devotees of Sri MahaPeriyava whom HE himself called the 64th Nayanmar. I am sure everyone one must be aware of how the grand temple at Orirukkai was built only by the unflinching devotion of Sri Pradosham Mama towards Sri MahaPeriyava, whom he saw as the pratyak- sha Parameshwaran. Sri Salem Ravi would follow every instruction of his Guru Sri Pradosham Mama with firm conviction, without any worry or doubts in his mind. One such incident occurred in the year 1990, and it involved Sri Pradosham Mama telling Sri Salem Ravi his heartfelt desire “You must go and perform AthiRu- dram at Salem for Sri MahaPeriyava”. Without even a hint of hesitation, Sri Salem Ravi immediately agreed to it. Without even knowing about what AthiRudram was or what conducting AthiRudram entailed, he agreed to it because his guru Sri Pradosham mama had a desire to conduct it for Sri MahaPeriyava. Neither Pradosham Mama nor Sri Salem Ravi had the kind of monetary backing that would be needed for a large event such as AthiRudram that spans 11 days. All they had was their burning desire to conduct the AthiRudram for Sri MahPeriyava. With their unflinching faith in HIM, they decided to proceed. They sought permission from Sri MahaPeriyava at Kanchipuram and received his blessings. Once something is blessed by HIM, is there anything that will not bear fruition. Out of the blue, Sri Kalki Sadasivam, the husband of Sri M.S. Subbulakshmi, found out about the planned AthiRudram and with his help the necessary monetary support of about 20 lakhs was collected. So this solved the problem of searching for funds in an instant. The preparation from the AthiRudram proceeded as per HIS instructions. The AthiRudram was conducted during the 1st week of May 1990 with 18 Agnihotris performing the neces- sary homams for the AthiRudram along with a Chandi Homam. Usually the

 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 27 month of May is the hottest time of the year in Chennai and people were suffering due to the heat and lack of sufficient water. Sri Pradosham mama desired that the start of AthiRudram would immediately bring rains in Chennai. But after the second day when there were still no signs of even a few drops of rain, he felt a little dejected and prayed to Sri MahaPeriyava. Low and behold, at the end of the next days proceeding, dark clouds began to gather and it began to shower late at night. In fact, over the next few days there was heavy rain in Kanchipuram, but this never affected the performance of rituals for the AthiRudram. This was just the beginning. For the next six months’ people found that it was always raining in some place or the other in Chennai and its surrounding regions. In fact, when we check the meteorological data from May 1990 we see that Chennai received over 5 inches of rain in the second week of May 1990, even though normally Chennai receives heavy rains only in the months from August to November. We can learn several things from this incident. The performance of the vedic rituals such as AthiRu- dram is not just for the atmic upliftment of the people but it also brings about immense benefit to the laukika aspects of people’s lives. Sri Pradosham Mama wanted to perform the AthiRudram and offer it to Sri MahaPeriyava. It was Sri Pradosham Mama who desired that the conduct of AthiRudram would bring immediate rains in Chennai. Sri MahaPeriyava fullfiled the desire of HIS devotee and bough heavy rains to Chennai and provide relief to the common people from the hot May month weather in Chennai. Another important facet we notice is the implicit faith in Sri MahaPeriyava can make even “ordinary” men achieve lofty and often insurmountable targets. Neither Sri Pradosham Mama nor Sri Salem Ravi were financially in a position that they could even think about meeting the monetary target that would be necessa`ry to conduct such a large ritual such as the AthiRudram. Any normal person would hesitate to even dream about conducting such an event as the challenges they would face would appear to be almost insurmountable. Sri Pradosham Mama did not worry about the challenges but instead chose to focus only on the strong desire to conduct a grand AthiRudram for Sri MahaPeriyava. Whether it was monetary help from Sri Kalki Sadashivam or physical help from willing volunteers and devotees of Sri MahaPeriyava; everything that was needed for the event was received at the right moment. It is with this implicit faith in Sri MahaPeriyava that Sri Pradosham Mama and Sri Salem Ravi proceed to conduct the AthiRudram. With complete devotion a grand event was conducted and Sri MahaPeriyava himself called it an epitome of how an AthiRudram should be performed. We are reminded of the shloka:

28 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 2020 When unconditional faith in Sri MahaPeriyava can make even ordinary people do extraordinary things, one can imagine the kind of feats that Sri Pradosham mama, the foremost of devotees of Sri MahaPeriyava must have achieved in his lifetime. In the words of Pradosham Mama, all we need is to have an earnest desire about doing something for Sri MahaPeriyava. If the desire remains true, then one need not worry about how the necessary steps will fall into place. By HIS grace; from somewhere, someone with the necessary means will come and help you out and all things you desired will get completed on its own. Similarly, may we also have the same kind of genuine desire in our hearts that the grand temple for Sri MahaPeriyava at Flemington, New Jersey be completed soon.

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30 Periyava Times - Online Special Edition 2020 Project Prakruthi By Sindhu Karthik Sanatana Dharma, as a way of life, lays out certain duties that are to be carried out during the lifetime of a person. One of those duties laid out is to respect and protect the environment that nurtures us with its bounty. Nature and the environment are held with great reverence with each natural element given the place of Devas. The many ways to pay respects to every Deva are laid out in the Vedas. Our esteemed Acharyas were proponents of the Vedas and the Vedic lifestyle, which not only paid reverence to the Devas but also considered Earth, Nature, and all animals as forms of God. Therefore, going green, being eco-friendly and sustainable were weaved into the day to day practices of this lifestyle. With the blessings of our Acharyas, we have initiated Project Prakruthi. The goal of this initiative is to carry out our duty to preserve our Mother Earth for future gen- erations. This is the motivation to establish Sri MahaPeriyava Manimandapam NJ, USA as one of a kind low-waste and self-sustainable place of worship. To start off with, the facility has been equipped with a storm water run-off pit that channels rainwater to the stream behind the temple, preventing it from getting into the sewage system. Efforts are also being made to incorporate native plants and trees that are indigenous to the New Jersey area. This will reduce the use of water for irrigation and the excessive dependence on fertilizers. With the Balaalayam opened, there is an effort to reduce the use of plastic in and around the Kovil. All prasadam services are done using reusable or compostable cutlery which do not cause further damage to the environment at large and to the local com- munity. Trash disposal will be separated based on the type of waste and impact to the envi- ronment. Long term plans include the setup of a compost pit, solar or other natural forms of energy, gho-shala, Net Zero Greenhouse Nandavanam that will be used to grow the flowers required for nithya-poojai, and a small scale produce garden that can provide the vegetables and fruits required for prasadam. Apart from this, a bee-farm is also being planned to ensure fresh and most natural honey to be used for prasadam and neivedyam. Prayers to our Acharyas to continue this divine endeavor along with everyone towards self- sustainability. At present, we are seeking a lot of volunteers to be part of #ProjectPrakruthi. If you can give a hand towards this green initiative, please contact us today.For more information, you may also write to us at [email protected]

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